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Emma Loftus Group marketing manager, James Jones & Sons
I joined James Jones & Sons in 2019, but my career began in 2002 where I spent 11 years working in the food industry. I then went on to a client director role in a marketing agency where I worked across a vast range of industries such as oil and gas, construction and FMCG (fast-moving consumer goods). Although I had worked in the construction industry and also gained experience promoting products to the builders merchant audience, the forestry and timber industry was completely new to me until I joined James Jones & Sons in 2019.
The culture and ethos of the business was what initially attracted me to the role, but having worked here for almost four years, it’s been even more fulfilling than I anticipated and is by far my most favourite job of my career. Although it sounds very clichéd, every day really is different and there is so much variety day to day, with a great balance between hands-on marketing and thinking about the bigger picture. James Jones & Sons is very progressive, so there is always so much going on across the Group and I love the challenge of spinning lots of plates. Being initially new to the timber industry, I gained an appreciation of the level of innovation that goes on behind the scenes, in addition to the amount there is to learn about wood! My advice to any marketeer considering entering the timber industry would be to not judge a book by its cover. There is always more fun and creativity to be had in promoting something initially perceived to be a little less glamorous. ■
James Jones & Sons is very
progressive, so there is always so much going on across the Group and I love the challenge of spinning lots of plates
Genevieve Ding Compliance and systems manager, Wood International Agency
I’ve been in the timber industry for over 10 years – currently working as the compliance and systems manager at Wood International Agency Ltd (WIA).
From my experience of peoples’ origin stories in the timber industry, most seem to fall into it accidentally, either from working in warehousing or as an office junior. My own story began as an accounts assistant at a plywood importer, gaining my first insight into the industry, and then learning the issues concerning compliance at the time.
I started work at WIA in 2017, and I’m thankful that since my time there, I’ve been given opportunities to further my roles in compliance with visits to mills in China, managing the company’s chain of custody and due diligence processes, as well as pulling on my roots in computer programming to overhaul WIA’s entire processes with a new database system. The latter enabled me to see into every department’s functionality, giving me a unique perspective to create efficiencies across the company through process and procedure.
In August 2023, I’m excited to be embarking on a new adventure as head of group compliance at Consolidated Timber Holdings (CTH), overseeing its many group companies’ compliance procedures and helping to streamline processes. As a Chinese woman, I feel proud of gaining the position I hold today. I am encouraged by the increasing number of women in the industry, and I’m honoured to be asked to contribute to TTJ’s “Women in Timber”. I feel that by nurturing this diversity of gender and race moving forward, this can only be a positive move. ■
I am encouraged by the increasing number of women in the industry
Augusta Rumble Certifcation and compliance co-ordinator, Taylor Maxwell
I’m proud to say that I joined Taylor Maxwell Timber just over 12 years ago and plenty has changed since then both at Taylor Maxwell and in the wider timber industry. My first role for the business was to provide support to the hardwood sales team importing oak from France. This role gave me a perfect opportunity to use my French degree, liaising with various French sawmills, many of whom at that time spoke little English and communicated only by phone and fax machine.
I’ve since offered sales, logistics and stock management support for Taylor Maxwell’s flooring and composite decking products, which has provided further valuable experience.
Moving forward, my current role is to manage Taylor Maxwell’s FSC and PEFC chain of custody certification, along with ensuring compliance with UKTR legislation. Both FSC and PEFC are asking more of their stakeholders and for all the right reasons. Awareness and demand for responsibly sourced timber products is far better than it was a decade ago and I am keen to share my knowledge with everyone at Taylor Maxwell to best develop our responsibility to provide sustainably sourced timber to the UK market.
The introduction of UKTR in 2021 presented a new challenge. Requesting international suppliers to provide timber source and species information isn’t easy but it’s equally an opportunity for constructive engagement and ensures we can be confident in supplying legal and sustainable timber from suppliers who share our values.
And values are important. We have a great team here at Taylor Maxwell with a strong emphasis driven by management for building relationships with customers, suppliers, and colleagues alike.
I have a wealth of female colleagues, role models and acquaintances in both Taylor Maxwell and the timber industry and I hope that will continue to be the case in the future. ■
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www.ttjonline.com | July/August 2021 | TTJ
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